Shoprite buys Africa's biggest coffee chain Vida e Caffè, takes 51% of R&A Cellular
What's the deal? South African retailer ShopriteDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired a 100% stake in Vida e CaffèDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the continent's largest coffee chain with 400 corporate and franchise stores. It disclosed the deal alongside its results for the 52 weeks ended June 28, 2026, released on Tuesday, September 1.
The details: Shoprite signed the Vida deal on August 20, 2026, covering the chain's South African and non-South African operations. Founded in 2001 in Cape Town by Rui Esteves and Brad Armitage, Vida was bought by Grant Dutton and his investment partners in 2006 and has since grown to 400 stores across Africa.
What's the endgame? The deal strengthens Shoprite's presence in the quick service restaurant (QSR) category. The retailer currently operates in QSR through in-store brand partnerships, private coffee and food-service labels, and B2B catering, but runs no stand-alone food chains.
Why it matters: Vida has "a broad and demographically diverse customer base," said Shoprite chief executive officer Pieter Engelbrecht, supported by high street, forecourt, drive-thru, corporate office, and retail formats. "Vida is a business we greatly admire, and we look forward to learning from its success while supporting its next phase of growth," he said.
The second deal: Shoprite also acquired a 51% majority stake in South African technology and payments firm R&A CellularDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → on August 14, 2026, after its financial year-end. R&A Cellular's device network lets informal and semi-formal micro-retailers deliver high-frequency financial services access points.
Why R&A? The move sits within Shoprite's financial services growth strategy. It will let the retailer expand its device base nationally across informal retailers and embed its financial services products in the R&A Cellular ecosystem.
"These initiatives are expected to drive growth, deepen customer engagement, and extend the group's financial services reach into the informal sector," Shoprite said.
What's next? The Vida transaction remains subject to regulatory conditions and is expected to become effective in Shoprite's 2027 financial year.
The signal: Shoprite is pushing beyond groceries into adjacent categories — branded coffee retail and informal-sector financial services — using acquisitions to reach new customers and store formats across the continent.
Image credit: Wonderlane
